Principles of Documentary Editing

Documentary filmmaking is won or lost in the edit. While a great film might begin with a thousand hours of footage, it lives or dies by how it’s shaped into the final cut. In this self-paced course, award-winning documentary editor Jacob Bricca guides you through the key foundations of the editing process, teaching you how to find the “beating heart” of your narrative.

Bricca’s filmmaking credits include:

• Lost in La Mancha
• Jimmy Scott: If You Only Knew (2002 Tribeca Best Documentary Feature nominee)
• The Bad Kids (2016 Sundance Special Jury Award winner)
• Missing in Brooks County (2021 Critic’s Choice Documentary Awards nominee)

In this four-week course, Bricca will use examples from his own films as an editor and director to provide creative and collaborative tools needed to shape the narrative of a documentary. This course builds upon a previous Sundance Collab Master Class and features exclusive insights and conversations with established documentary storytellers Geeta Ghandbir and Viridiana Lieberman (The Perfect Neighbor), Carla Gutierrez and David Teague (Frida), Ephraim Kirkwood and John Tarquinio (Patrice: The Movie), and Daniel Garber and Emily Yue (Spermworld).

In this course, you will learn:

• The principles of documentary editing
• Processes for successful non-fiction storytelling
• Relationship dynamics between directors and editors
• Common documentary editing techniques
• Four key narrative strategies
• Creative approaches to the edit
• Tips, tricks, and best practices from professional editors

Who this course is for: This course is ideal for aspiring and established documentary filmmakers looking to learn more about navigating the editing process.

Additional Benefits: Your enrollment includes a workbook and access to additional videos from Sundance Collab's Video Library.

Live Interaction and Support:

• Weekly Group Office Hours: Join our live online sessions with a Sundance Collab Advisor. This is your opportunity to ask questions, discuss challenges, and get real-time feedback in a supportive group environment.
• 1-on-1 Sessions (Additional $150): For more personalized support, you can book a 60-minute, 1-on-1 meeting with your Advisor to receive additional guidance.

Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Please email us at accessibility@sundance.org to arrange for services.